1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chin straps used to secure athletic helmets to the head of the wearer, and more specifically to a protective, sanitary, decorative chin strap sleeve that fits over and elastically attaches to a conventional athletic helmet chin strap.
2. Description of the Related Art
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however several references, pertaining mainly to helmet chin straps and more specifically football helmet chin straps, were considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,811 issued in the name of Jones, discloses an early design for a football helmet strap in which a chin support cup is attached to a single securing strap extending from each side of the support cup and attaching to the helmet via a snap button securing device. The chin support cup is fit with absorbent padding and is washable, however the user's skin remains exposed to the edges of the support cup, making it prone to causing cuts and abrasions upon impact. Also, maintaining a sanitary condition would necessarily entail complete replacement of the chin strap. Finally, the strap provides no decorative, promotional or advertising purpose.
Several patents disclose more conventional four-point football helmet chin straps wherein a chin support cup includes a pair of straps that connect to the helmet laterally, along the side of the helmet at chin-level and a pair of straps connect to the helmet in a mostly vertical manner, approximately at eye-level:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,761 issued in the name of Strohm; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,556 issued in the name of Davenport; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,068 issued in the name of Davenport et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,368 issued in the name of Infusino et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,356 issued in the name of Zide; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,660 issued in the name of Zide et al.
The primary purposes of these devices is to secure the helmet to the head in a manner so as to minimize the movement thereof upon impact. These devices do take chin protection and comfort into consideration, although as a secondary concern, however, they do fail to protect the wearer from the cuts and abrasions commonly caused by contact between the rigid edges of the chin support cup and the wearer's chin upon impact. Furthermore, maintaining a sanitary chin condition is not an aim of these devices, therefore maintaining such a condition would necessarily entail complete replacement of the chin strap. Finally, the strap provides no decorative, promotional or advertising purpose.
While several features exhibited within these references are incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.